Mallikarjuna Rao

Actor •

Mallikajuna Rao was a former popular comedian in Telugu Cinema. Hailing from Anakapalli village, Mallikarjuna Rao was drawn towards the Cinema since his school days and the movies like Mayabazar, Devadasu, Patalabhairavi had left the lasting impact on him and the actors ANR, NTR, SVR had been his on-screen idols.

Before turning an actor, Mallikarjuna Rao has been part of the theater group and appeared in over 50 stage shows and was associated with the veteran actor Rao Gopal Rao during his theater days. On many instances, the comedian reverentially described Rao Gopal Rao as his mentor who taught him values and morals of life. Though, his journey into movies started in 1973 with brief roles in movies like Kirayai Rowdeelu and Nagamalli, his actual break started only in the 80s. Mallikarjuna Rao even assisted in the direction department for movies Gopalrao gari Ammayi and Parvathi Parameshwarulu. His association with the director Vamsi brought the best of him and has been a regular in all Vamsi’s films.

The first break came in the role of “Puliraju” in Vamsi’s “Anveshana” followed by his career-changing “Battala Satti” in the same director’s movie “Ladies Tailor” and there was no looking back for the talented comedian. The 90s era has seen a huge rise in Mallikrajuna Rao’s career as he’s been part of most of the comedy films done by EVV Satyanarayana and Relangi Narasimha Rao. Mallikrajuna Rao’s role of a friend and constable, subordinate to Kota Srinivasa Rao in “Hello Brother” movie won him major applause for the role that injects rib-tickling humor throughout and ends in a pathos.

After having a successful stint as a comedian that lasted 25 years with 375 films under his credit, the repute comedian breathed his last breath on 24th June 2008 ailing to leukemia.